Controlled lead pencil



1953 F. A. WADE ET AL CONTROLLED LEAD. PENCIL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 23, 1952 Nov. 3, 1953 F: A. WADE ET AL CONTROLLED LEAD PENCIL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 23, 1952 Z INVENTORS- ranczs Wi item 446522267.

A Wade wad ATTOR EY Patented Nov. 3, 1 953 OFFICE CONTROLLED LEAD PENCIL Francis A. Wade, Point Pleasant, and William Metzner, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application September 23, 1952, Serial No. 311,076

-Claims. (01.120-21) The present invention relates to stationery and more particularly-to a lead or crayon pencil intended primarily for use by classes of children in school.

In pencils of the type wherein the lead is manually fed to writing position the mechanisms and assemblies have been made of many parts, more or less complicated, costly, and open to the objection of being readily taken apart so that parts are lost or incorrectly re-assembledr This objection applies particularly to school children whose curiosity prompts them to investigate the workings of such pencils. Where the school furnishes such pencils the loss and replacement becomes an economy problem. I

Some of the objects of the present invention are to provide an improved lead or crayon feeding pencil; to provide such a pencil having a minimum of parts; to provide a pencil feeding construction in which the parts are sealed and inaccessible to prying investigators but which can be taken apart by the teacher for part replacement; to provide a pencil which is simple in construction and operation and wherein the lead can be accurately'controlled for feeding; to provide a pencil in which the lead is manually fed and includes as a part thereof a measuring means by which a point of selected length can be readily protruded for use; to provide a pencil of so simple a design that it can be manufactured and sold at a price to compete with wooden pencils presently in almost universal use in school; to provide a pencil that may be sharpened with a rod or wire more easily and with less waste than sharpening wooden pencils'with a mechanical pencil sharpener as is the present custom in schools; to provide a low cost *pencil for school use that will be uniform in length, a feature most desirable in teaching handwriting; to provide a holder that the pupils at their desks will have difficulty in taking apart but that teacher, by the use of heat or water, can readily take apart for cleaning or for replacing the washers; and to provide other objects and improvements as will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal median section of a pencil embodying one form of the present invention; Fig. 2 represents a perspective of a feeding rod used with the pencil; Fig. 3 represents a fragmental section of the point end of the pencil showing the position of the parts under feeding action of the rod; Fig. 4 represents the same section showing the position of the parts when relieved of the rod pressure with the lead in writing 2 position;' Fig. 5 represents a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of the pencil partly broken away, showing the feeding rod as initially grasped by a hand; and Fig. '7 represents a view of Fig. 6 showing the position of the hand at the end of a feeding operation. Referring to the drawings, one form of the present invention comprises a barrel Ill-preferably cylindrical, and formed of plastic or other material, having an axially disposed bore II for the passage of the writing lead I2. The bore II is dimensioned to permit free relative axial movement of the lead without either binding ortoo loose movement of the lead. In other words, it forms a smooth guide to keep the lead centered as it is fed axially therealong. One end of the barrel III is reduced in diameter for telescopic assembly with a truncated point piece I3, for assembly by uniting the parts together by heat, soluble adhesive or other suitable means to produce a pencil incapable of being taken apart by a pupil but permitting a teacher to do so for replacement of parts. The point piece l3 has a bore [4 axially alined with the bore II but open: ing at its inner end into a control chamber [5.- This chamber I5 is defined at one side by the barrel end I6, which may be a plane face but is preferably slightly convex, and at the opposite side by a shoulder I1 and tapered wall I8 of the piece I3. The spacing between the end I6 of the barrel I0 and the shoulder I! is such as to receive a control washer I9 through which the lead passes to be controlled thereby, the periphery of the washer seating in the barrel. In the preferred construction, one side of the washer I9 abuts the shoulder ll, while the Washer thickness leaves a slight clearance with respect to the convex end I6. The washer I9 is of live rubber or other satisfactory resilient material, and the diameter of its aperture is somewhat smaller than the lead diameter to give a gripping fit against the lead I2. This fit resists a relative movement of the lead inwardly of the point piece I3 under normal writing pressure and so maintains the lead properly projected for writing, because the washer then abuts the convex end I6. For relative movement in the direction to advance the lead to writing position, the washer automatically flexes to substantially cone shape and bends about the shoulder, thereby permitting the lead to be advanced through the washer by pressure at its rear end. From the foregoing it will be seen that the counter-bore of the point piece forms an annular shoulder opposed to the washer I9, which in conjunction with its spacing from the lead, forms means to permit the washer to deform axially under an applied feeding pressure on the lead and thus relax the washer grip. Also the convex end of the barrel coacts with the washer as a means to maintain the desired gripping action under the writing pressure upon the lead.

In order to advance the lead for repointing, a push rod 20 is provided which is dimensioned to enter the mm H at the rear end to propel the lead through the washer as deformed until the desired length of protruding lead is obtained.

As a means of obtaining predetermined measured lengths of protruding lead, the end of the barrel I0, which receives the push rod 20, is scarfed to provide an abutment 2| at one side which merges as substantially an s curve into a clearance 22. The depth of'the clearance 22 forms a selected measure of one lead-advancing operation to give, for example, a quarter inch feed if the clearance is so dimensioned. Ii-nus, the user grasps the rod 20, inserts it into the barrel bore 1 i into contact with the lead therein. he h nd o the u no ak s a po iti n. u n the rod 20, as shown in Fig. 6, with the thumb resting against the abutment 21, after which either the rod or the barrel can be rotated to ring e hu nto egister th the clearance. whereupon the rod can be pushed inwardly until h thumb. is op d y t e e d of; he l arance as shown in Fig. '1. This inward feeding of the rod 20 is transmitted to the lead, which, by reason of the tight fit of the washer, due to the washer aperture having a diameter slightly less than t at f, the ea n by the h l in of t e washer periphery against the barrel, causes the washer t deform o tward y about h a utne shoulder I7 and so reduce the gripping action as to permit the lead to move relative to the washer. When the measured length of lead has been protruded, the rod 20 is removed thereby leaving the lead under control of the washer. Therefore, since the outward pressure cf the lead is remo e the l sti t i the wa r and he ree e f i s pressur a a nst th houlder causes t sn p ba .0 o mal DQS tiQ l w th a restored gripping of the lead. This action shortens the protruding end of the lead by" the, restoring movement of the washer. Now in its restored position the washer abuts the convex n o h ba re and; so r ist inward movement of the lead under all usual writing pressure. e e y hea ressur upon the lead. greater than that used writin will result in the l ad b ing f ed, a k i to the barrelin case it. is desired either to shorten the point or withdraw the protru ing lead to prevent breaking when the pencil is not in use.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A pencil comprising a barrel having a. bore for guiding a lead, a point piece having a barrel end receiving bore, a lead guiding bore alined therewith, and an intermediate bore terminating in an annular shoulder spaced from the juxtaposed end of said barrel to form a chamber, means interconnecting said barrel and point piece, and a resilient washer disposed transversely of said chamber to elastically grip the portion of the lead in said chamber, said washer being dimensioned to abut said shoulder under feeding movement of the lead, and to abut said barrel end under reverse movement of the lead, whereby under lead reeding pressure said shoulder fulcrums said washer to deform it axially to relax said grip and permit the lead to move axially, while under writing pressure said barrel end Qfi1l8 said Washer to maintain said grip.

2. A pencilin accordance with claim 1, wherein said intermediate bore is outwardly flared towards said chamber.

3,. A pencil i accordance w c 1, wherein the chamber end of the barrel is convex.

4 A pencil in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lead feeding means is a hand operated push rod insertable, in the barrel bore and a scar-fed end on said ba el has a length as. a m asu e f lead feedi s id en ierming two d. t. p siti n one definin an ini l. p it n f th hand ra p n said rod and th her efin ng th nd of th hand movemen shin the ro .5. A p ncil c m risin a bar e havi g bo for guidin a lea a p int iec av ng a bore as a continuat o of s d bar e h r aid P eee havin a. barrel eee i is winte -bore t mi I. natin n a u ar shoul r juxtapos d to the end of said barrel and o min a lea n e abo said lead. and n elast c asher dis osed b een. said should r and said r e hav n a hrough h le to. grip aid le d whereby P es ur f edin of he lead d forms th washer x ly a ut said houl er nto said le an to r ax: the ash r r n Whil re erse wri ing pre sure restor s said washer t ripp n positio abuttin th nd of the barrel- FRANCIS WADE. WILLIAM ME-T NER.

Referencesv Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Num e N me. D e

2,455, 1 MQNe ll N 1.9. 8.

FOR IGN PA NT N m r unt y D t 22 2. reat Br t in ,1 --.---=-,.g-.-. 18 ,3. .l05 Great B ita n 1mg- 189.6 3. 12 i rland 16,v 1916 

